FOOD & SUN
SOPHISTICATED AND UNSUNG Culture and history inspire San Juan’s incredibly delicious culinary scene, from piña coladas and street food to fine dining By Renée S. Suen
Besides being a hub of culture and history with a colourful array of colonial architecture within its walled historic district, the capital of San Juan blossoms with scrumptious flavours. The latter shouldn’t be a surprise. This is where the piña colada was created, after all.
A MODEST RESTAURANT (CHINCHORRO) SERVES ALL KINDS OF TRADITIONAL FOOD
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© FERNANDO OTIZ
Captivated by cocina criolla (cuisine created by mostly Spanish colonists using traditional recipes that incorporate Caribbean ingredients and cooking techniques), I find world-class restaurants and roadside stands serving fare distinctly influenced by its Spanish, African and native Taíno (indigenous Caribbean) history and flavours. Sure,
there are corporate American-leaning options or Distrito T-Mobile, a two-hectare entertainment, retail and dining destination, but a simple search reveals a generation of local chefs and visionaries who have made this one of the Caribbean’s premier culinary destinations. With food playing an integral role in the city’s identity, I take a crash course by eating my way through it, including participating in the local practice of chinchorreo, kioskhopping to chinchorros (food stalls). It’s a typical group activity, but I do it solo, if only to satisfy my gluttony. I experience my first true taste of the traditional dish mofongo at La Parrilla in Los Kioskos de Luquillo, a strip of restaurants and bars along Luquillo beach. Made from mashed deep-fried green plantains, garlic and crispy chicharrónes, it is typically served with meat, but I choose to pair it with seafood. Enjoying my order al fresco, I encounter tender conch tossed in an umami-rich creole sauce cascading down the hearty starch-based patty. Mildly sweet and wildly satisfying, I find myself resisting the temptation of licking the plate.
ENJOYING A BACALAÍTO AND COCKTAIL BY THE BEACH
© OMARK REYES
M
ade up of hundreds of islands surrounded by white sand beaches, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is a known and beloved tropical paradise. However, like many, I had misconceptions about the Caribbean island prior to visiting. Until recently, I didn’t realize it was a territory of the United States. But as a destination diner, I had also embarrassingly overlooked its sophisticated and thriving culinary scene.
